Why is this learning experience important (i.e. What?s the point?)? (1) For you to do what teachers do when they organize information and create experiences to engage students productively in the learning process, (2) For you to collaborate and negotiate with your classmates to learn about group work so that you might realistically use it in your own classroom, (3) For you to experience the value of learning with others, being creative, and the sustaining energy of good colleagues, (4) For you to gain an in-depth knowledge of one of the metacognitive reading comprehension strategies, and (5) To address Maine?s Standards One, Three, Four, and Six for Initial Certification.

Standard One - Demonstrates knowledge of the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful to students.

Standard Three - Demonstrates a knowledge of the diverse ways in which students learn and develop by providing learning opportunities that support their intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development.

Standard Four - Plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, and curriculum goals.

Standard Six - Creates and maintains a classroom environment which supports and encourages learning.

What will you know or be able to do or demonstrate when you are done? As a group, you will demonstrate your competence in teaching one of the Mosaic of Thought metacognitive reading comprehension strategies.

How will I know that (i.e. assessment)?See rubric below.

Guidelines: When you take a position in the public schools, it is necessary that you develop the ability to work with others, including those who have different learning styles and personalities than yourself.In the public schools, you will be asked to be on various committees and will be assigned to work with a grade level or team of teachers, the composition of which you have no choice.For this assignment, my hope is that you enjoy the people you work with and pull your own weight.In my experience with this assignment, most groups work together famously.They learn and are supported by each other.If you are one who often gets her/his own way, consider how you can collaborate so all viewpoints are heard.

One strategy to complete this ?committee work? is to use Stephen Covey?s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People as a guide.

1. As you meet with your group to plan, seek first to understand what others are thinking and then be sure that you are understood.

2. Don?t sit back nor dominate the conversation.

3. Be proactively involved in the project as you do your part and collaborate with your classmates.

4. Seek to be democratic in your decision-making throughout your collaboration.

5. Think win/win as you include each other?s thinking to create an engaging lesson for your classmates that is better than anything one of you have might have created on your own.

6. Once the conversation has begun, create a plan with the end in mind.What do you want your classmates to know and be able to demonstrate at the end of the workshop?

7. Then begin with what needs to be done first.

In small groups, lead a 40-45 minute hands-on learning experience about your assigned metacognitive reading comprehension strategy from the Mosaic of Thought.Choose a grade level to focus on.Your classmates may play the role of students at that grade level.To engage your classmates, your group may draw upon a variety of teaching and learning options such as simulations, role-playing, group work, film clips, or other models of "good teaching" that you have seen or about which you know.On the other hand, your group can be staff development leaders for teachers learning this new strategy.Include visuals (e.g. other posters, handouts for your classmates as they participate in the experience, books, writing and drawing materials, props).

Model your assigned metacognitive reading comprehension strategy for us and then give us an opportunity to learn by doing.Use picture books or chapter books whenever possible.

I will ask you to pay attention to a variety of learning styles (oral, visual, and kinesthetic).Oral includes but is not limited to: (1) explaining, (2) reading to us, (3) students talking in groups, (4) students reporting out what they have learned, and (5) singing.Visual includes but is not limited to: (1) video, (2) pictures, (3) additional posters, and (4) overheads.Kinesthetic includes but is not limited to: (1) writing, (2) movement, (3) drawing, and (4) students performing.

Mere lecturing will not show evidence of the learner-centered, constructivist focus of this course.Constructivism is a theory about how knowledge is constructed. It?s done individually, constructed socially, and shared with the society.

1.Classrooms are places where students search for meaning, appreciate uncertainty, and inquire reasonably.

2.Students understand that they are ultimately responsible for their own learning.

3.Educators focus attention on the learner.

4.Teachers create learning environments in which they and their students are encouraged to think and explore.

5.Teachers encourage students to engage in dialogue with their teachers and their classmates.

6.Assessment is done authentically in a meaningful context that relates to the concerns and problems faced by students.

Jacqueline Brooks and Martin Brooks, The Case for the Constructivist Classroom

Create an interactive Power Point portion of your teaching.Include

(1) one slide of the title of your experience, quote from your chapter, the group members, the date due, and pictures related to your subject

(2) one slide that has two to four key points from your chapter

(3) one slide that has two to three questions for discussion.

(4) Power Point slide options include modeling you will do for your classmates, directions on what you expect them to do, practice exercises, examples of writing and reading, other interactive experiences.

Create a one-page handout for your classmates based on points I, II, and IV from your update (see below).The handout should include a quote from the chapter.At the bottom, put all the group members? names as well as the copyright symbol.(? First and last name year, e.g. ? Olympia Snowe 2007)

Update - After the second of your three class work times, send me electronically by Word attachment one update of your progress as a group by February 11th.I will give you formative assessment (in process feedback) on your efforts to date and send back an electronic response to all of you.In this one to two page, typed update, address all the points below using Roman numerals.Include:

A. Why is this learning experience important (i.e. What?s the point?)?

B. What will your classmates know or be able to do or demonstrate when you are done?

C. How will you know that (i.e. formal or informal assessment)?

III. A preliminary outline of what you will do for the 40-45 minutes with the estimated length of time for each segment,

IV. Your plan to complete the project on time, and

V. Books you will use (APA format and one sentence of annotation for each) and

VI. One to three questions for me.

N.B.Whoever sends the update to me, cc (copy) it to your group members.I can then ?Reply All? and send the update with my comments back to each of you.

If you have your classmates work in groups, come up with a creative way of putting them into groups for your presentation.For example, one semester a group taped the roles for their classmates under the chairs in the classroom.

Point 1 on the rubric - Once you have completed your presentation, your classmates will fill out Appendix A.I feel students deserve a wider response than simply that of the teacher.The Appendix A sheets, signed by your classmates, will be given to the presenters so that they can see the narrative comments that accompany the ratings.

Point 2 on the rubric - You will score yourself and your partners with the Group Work Peer Assessment (Appendix B).These are due at the beginning of class on the day you present.You will receive Appendix B from your group mates.Five points will be deducted for late papers.

Point 3 on the rubric - You will write a one full page, single-spaced reflection on your chapter and your participation in the preparation for the group project.In paragraph one, write what you learned about your chapter in the Mosaic of Thought.Connect your reflection to your clinical experiences and your hopes for your future classroom.In paragraph two, describe the learning you did by working in this group.What did you learn about yourself as it relates to group work?Be specific as you reference some of the points in Appendix B.In paragraph three, write your philosophy of literacy education.These papers are to be sent to me electronically the night before your presentation.Three points will be deducted for late papers.

EDU 217/517 Mosaic of Thought

Teaching and Learning Experience Rubric

Unacceptable

Acceptable

Proficient

Distinctive

1. Classmates? and Instructor?s evaluation

(10)

Not to Acceptable level (0-7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

2. Partner(s) and self-evaluation (10)

Not to Acceptable level (0-7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

3. One page Reflection

(10)

Not to Acceptable level (0-7)

All the required elements

(8)

Written with clarity

and specifics

(10)

Score_____ of 30

Deductions

-3 late reflection (not in the night before the teaching you will do)

-3 late Appendix Bs (not in prior to start of teaching)

-2 late or no Appendix B self-evaluation (just did it for your group mates)

-2 not 50 words of narrative/description in your Appendix Bs.

Appendix A

PRESENTATION EVALUATION

Group Members __________________________________________________________

(You need in total at least 50 words of feedback for the two categories below.All 50 could be in one category or the other.Use the back of the sheet if necessary.)This paper is due at the start of the class period on the presentation day.